Strange New World.
by Arcadia Silver
Summary: Chapter 3 & 4 are here! A Japanese exchange student (ha! not American!) comes to stay at the Dursleys. In Hitomi, the gang finds, a great friend, a powerful ally, and a great mystery. (NO MARY-SUE! HTIS FIC IS MARY-SUE FREE!!)
1. Default Chapter

  
  
  
God, summer with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia again.. What could be worse?? I'd rather be locked on a room with Snape and some of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Swerts. It's my birthday tomorrow, the big 1-5, but I seriously doubt that the Dursleys really care. They're too concerned with these 'foreign exchange' student from Japan coming. Great, all I need more Muggles to knock me around...  
  
Harry Potter, easily the most famous wizard in the magical world slammed the small notebook shut. He quietly stuffed the book under the loose floorboard under his bed. He turned off the flashlight, which he 'borrowed' from Uncle Vernon, and cast the room into darkness. He flipped the thin blanket over his body and tried to find a position that his sore muscles wouldn't object to.  
  
All last week and most of this one, Harry had been Aunt Petunia's one-man cleaning crew. He had been scrubbing, washing, starching curtains, and doing every other cleaning chore conceived by either man or muggle, all while Aunt Petunia looked over his shoulder like a prison guard. Dudley, of course, hadn't been forced to move one finger. He had spent his week tottering around the house on his fat little legs and taking every opportunity he could to mess Harry up. Currently he was in his room, making up some cruel jokes to say to their guests tomorrow, Harry could hear the scumbag laughing at himself as he created some lewd comment on sushi and rice balls.   
  
He glanced at his alarm clock. "Seven hours." He said to himself. He had seven hours until his life was made twice as hard.   
  
  
  
"BOY!! Where did you put my tie?!?!" Vernon screamed as Harry hastily searched for Aunt Petunia's floral dress. Harry poked his head out from the laundry room door. Uncle Vernon's face was as purple as it had ever been before. His large tweed suit was being adjusted by a flustered Petunia. Dudley was sitting on the couch, calmly licking a large lollipop he had stolen from some girl down the street.   
  
Harry grabbed a brown tie, and the most disgustingly colorful dress he saw and ran down the stairs. He handed the tie to Vernon and passed the dress to Petunia before running back up to look for Dudley's missing dress shoes. By the time the family was dressed and the 'Welcome to England" sign hung perfectly above the dining room table above a huge spread of kidney pies, roasts, and many more English foods, Harry was run ragged.  
  
Uncle Vernon eyed the clock. "Get to your room boy, they're almost here." Harry, all to glad to be out of Uncle Vernon's sight, went up to his small, cramped room.  
Upon entering, he saw about five different owls fighting for perching space on his window seal. Harry grinned, his friends had remembered his birthday.  
  
Harry went to the first owl, a large tawny barn owl, and removed a package from it's left leg. Unwrapping it, he found it to be from Sirius, his godfather. Inside was a box full of the best chocolate from Honeydukes sweet shop. Placing it aside, the opened a box from the entire Weasley family. This one contained a wizard picture of the whole family, including Ron's older brothers, Charlie, Percy, and . In front of them were the biggest troublemakers that Harry's school, Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had seen, the twins Fred and George. Behind them was Mr. And Mrs. Weasley with Ron himself, last in line was the youngest of the siblings, Ginny.  
  
With the photo was a letter from Ron and a beautiful poster of the Ireland International Quidditch team, with all the players zooming about on their Firebolts and waving happily. Harry read the letter from Ron:  
  
Harry! How have you been?  
  
It's been a great summer, with that gold you gave us from the Triwizard Tournament, Mum and Dad have been able to by all-new stuff for all of us! That means I got some decent dress robes!! Ginny now has a beauty of an eagle that she got for her birthday, it's a golden eagle who she named Apollo. Fred and George have opened a bank account at Gringott's and are gonna use it and the interest it makes to open Weasley's Wizard Wheezes one day. Ever since Mr. Crouch died, Percy is head of International Magical Cooperation, and it's made his head bigger than before! We can bearly get him in the kitchen now because of it!  
  
New muggles are coming to your house?? Man, how bad can it get?? Have patience, the calvary will arrive soon!! Mom and Dad have talked to Fudge, and he says than we can come get you about around the 20th of June! Just have some patience, we will pick you up around midnight in one of the Ministry's flying cars. Be ready.  
  
Til then,  
Ron.  
  
Harry almost let out a whoop of joy, over half the summer at the Weasleys!! He could hardly wait the two weeks until then. Putting the poster and letter aside, he looked at the next owl, and saw it was a parcel of Hagrid's best rock cakes again. The next one was from Hermione, it was a book (of course) full of pictures of Quidditch World Cup games of the past, and included the teams competing in this year's final. The Chinese Dragons, verses the American Angels. The Chinese team was a nice assortment of men and two women, most of them small and light-built, except for the two burly men at the back, who were obviously the beaters. Harry flipped the page were the picture of the American team was, and almost fell of the bed. Every last member of the American Angels were women!! And, by the looks of them, very attractive women too.   
Under the picture of the American team smiling and waving, some has their robes back revealing quiet, uh, small outfits was a caption:  
  
Tifa Garnet Lockheart-Alexandros, the American Seeker has set the world's record for catching the Snitch this year in the time of 2 minuets and 18 seconds. "Silver Blade" as she is called by her fans, has been named MVP of the world league seven times and is the receiver of several prestigious awards including the Golden Broomstick, The Zidane Trybal High Flyer Award, and two places in the Quidditch Hall of Fame.   
Harry put the books, as well as his other gifts under the floorboard with his diary. Just as he set the board in his face, the doorbell rang. He heard the rushing of feet as everyone down stairs prepared to greet their guest. Harry quietly snuck to his door and opened it to watch.  
  
Uncle Vernon opened the door and greeted their guest with a booming "Hullo!!" Aunt Petunia walked up to the kid up and said something Harry couldn't hear. Dudley just stood back and watched as his parents greeted the guest.  
  
"Come on..: he coaxed Uncle Vernon silently. "move, I can't see the guy."   
  
As if by magic (lol) Uncle Vernon stepped aside and Harry got a look at the muggle that would be his personal pain-in-the-butt for the next two weeks.   
  
"A girl??" Harry almost cried. Indeed it was a girl. She was somewhat tall, she probably drawfed Harry by about an inch. She wasn't thin in anyway, she was curvy, but not fat like Dudley, more like muscular Harry thought. She had dark brown, almost red hair, and the most dazzling pair of grey eyes. Harry made another observation, her eyes weren't the dull, cold gray like Draco Malfoy's, they were more....silver.  
  
"What.....is your.....name??" Aunt Petunia asked loudly. She mustn't understand English very well, Harry thought, but she doesn't look Japanese. Harry's hypothesis was confirmed seconds later when the girl opened her mouth and spoke the most clear and perfect English Harry ever heard.  
  
"My name is Hitomi Versialles Kisagragi. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Dursley." She bowed politely.   
  
Uncle Vernon, taken back by the fact that she spoke English so well cleared his throat. "Hurmm, well Hitora, shall we see you to your room?"  
  
Hitomi, slightly peeved that he didn't bother to say her name right, followed him quietly, heaving several large, over packed bags and a long instrument case. Harry ducked behind the door as they passed to the other room beside his. The Dursleys stayed in there for a while before leaving Hitomi to unpack. Harry listened in on them as they walked past.  
  
"Ugly child I must say. She has shifty eyes, small too, sure sign of a troublemaker!" Uncle Vernon whispered.  
  
Ugly child? They got room to talk. Dudley is as big as a house. Harry thought about her eyes, they weren't shifty, small yes, but deep and dramatic.  
  
Aunt Petunia added her own appraisal of their guest. "She won't be a good influence on Dudley Vernon. She's practically barbaric! Those books she had with her, women in short skirts and swords. Did you see those drawings she had? She's practically a homicidal murderer, we must keep the child away from Dudley!"  
  
Harry drew his eyebrows up in interest. If the Dursleys hated her so badly, just after ten minuets of her in their house, she can't be too bad. Harry closed his door again and went over to his bed. He took out some parchment and went to work on a few letters, he HAD to tell Ron and Hermione about this!!  
  
  
  
Next Day:  
  
Harry trudged down the stairs to get the meager breakfast that usually consisted of a piece of toast. He walked into the kitchen, and to his surprise, found Hitomi there over the stove. Harry gasped, and Hitomi turned on him, and dropped the spoon she held in surprise.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked in surprise.  
  
Harry, for a second, panicked. "Listen, don't tell the Dursely's that you saw me, they'll kill me!! Please, I beg of you...  
  
Hitomi's expression changed. "The Dursley's don't like you? Why would I tell those bakkas anything then??"  
  
Harry blinked. "Your not going to tell them??"  
  
"Why" Hitomi asked. "If they don't like you, you must be an okay person then."  
  
Harry couldn't believe his ears, was a muggle being nice to him?? "Uh, thanks Hitomi."  
  
"No problem, uh..."  
  
"Harry, Harry Potter."  
  
Hitomi bowed to him. "Pleasure to meet you Harry-san."  
  
"Thanks, nice to meet a decent human being around here for once." He looked over her shoulder to the stove. "What are you making?"  
  
Hitomi smiled. "Traditional Japanese breakfast. Rice balls, stir-fry chicken..."  
  
"That's a Japanese breakfast?" he asked.  
  
"Yep!" she smiled. "Wanna try some?"  
  
Harry shrugged why not?  
  
  
After Hitomi introduced him to Japanese cuisine, Harry found himself enjoying Hitomi's company. They talked about things, the weather, the Durseley's and anything else that came to mind.  
  
"Harry-san, why didn't I see you last night?"  
  
Harry looked nervous. "Can we discuss this in your room?"  
  
Hitomi looked perplexed. "Okay....after lunch?"  
  
Harry smiled, "Okay!"  
  
  
Harry rushed through the lunch dishes as fast he could. He placed them to dry an the rack and ran out of the kitchen so fast that Uncle Vernon didn't have time to say anything to him. He ran up the staircase and quietly knocked on Hitomi's door. Hitomi called to him from inside.  
  
"Come in Harry-san"  
  
Harry peeked in cautiously. Hitomi fiddling with something at the tv. Harry walked in and watched her play around with some complex looking wires.  
  
"What are you doing??" he asked.  
  
Hitomi leaned back from the television, seeming proud of her work. Connected to the television was a long, black and purple box. Hitomi looked at him.  
  
"You've never seen a Playstation before?" she asked.  
  
Harry had seen Dudley's Playstation, before he chucked it out the window, but not one quiet like this. "Uh, Dudley had a Playstation, but yours is different, his was gray."  
  
"Well, this is a Playstation 2, the newest generation of the console. Better graphics, digital sound, DVD player." She went along in this fashion for a few minuets.  
  
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to bore you." She stood up and sat on the single bed in the room, and patted the bed indication Harry should sit.  
  
"So tell me." Once Harry had been made comfortable. "Why do the Dursely's hate you so much?"  
  
Harry took a deep breath before launching into a long, complicated story. Of course he left out the fact that he, along with his best friends were wizards, and that he attended a magic school. By the time he was done, Hitomi had a look of incredible disbelief and pity on her face.  
  
"My heaven." She whispered. "You really catch hell don't you? Those bakkayaros..." she trailed off. Harry sat there looking at his feet uncomfortably. He couldn't stand to see that look on Hitomi's face. That look of pity, amazement, sympathy, and some other emotion Harry couldn't read. He didn't look up until Hitomi handed him something. He looked up and saw her trying to put a controller from the PS2 into his hands. He looked and saw the television was on and had a title on the screen flashing it read: "Final Fantasy X"  
  
Harry was amazed, he glanced at her face and saw her smiling. "Want to give it a try?" she asked.'  
  
Harry gave her a silly grin and said, "Okay."  
  
  
  
  
  
AN" Tada!! That's chapter one folks! See how horribly I write??  
  
Just one thing I gotta say before I get flamed, Hitomi is not a Mary-Sue, she will NOT fall in love with Harry, no she isn't a magical child, in the traditional sense, but she will land in Hogwarts in some way. You'll have to wait until Chapter Two or Three to find out!!  
  
Some of you might recognize some names and titles in this fic, that's because I like to play video games, yeah, you can pick your jaws off the floor, a girl that likes video games in which the main character doesn't wear pink! If you review (please do!!) feel free to name some names or titles you recognize.  
  
In the next chapter, Hitomi will speak more Japanese, so I will include a legend at the bottom of each chapter for you who are Japanese-illiterate. This is Arcadia Silver, signing off!  
  
Chapter Two: Of Swords and Manga....  



	2. Of Swords and Manga

STRANGE NEW WORLD  
A Harry Potter fic brought to you by Arcadia Silver Productions.  
Chapter Two: Of Swords and Manga  
  
  
As the days passed, Harry came to learn that Hitomi was full of surprizes. Some more shocking than others.  
  
One of those came several days later when Hitmoi was soundly beating Harry at one of her "Playstation" games, this one was a fighting game called "The Bouncer". Although Harry didn't quite understand the concept of the game, he was getting the hang of the basic battle moves. But beginner's luck wasn't enough to save him from Hitomi's expertice and experience.  
  
"Darn..." Harry sighed as Hitomi skillfully guided her charcter behind his, and delivered a spine-snapping blow, defeating him for the seventh time straight. Hitomi grinned despite herself, as the look of disapointment on his face.  
  
"Oh, cheer up Harry-san, your a whole lot better than you were a few days ago, your way better than Dudley anyway...." she finished with a look of disgust on her face.  
Now it was Harry's turn to grin, although his held traces of sympathy. Ever since Dudley made the discovery of Hitomi's Playstation, he had Mr. and Mrs. Dursley to "persuade" Hitomi to let him play. Every time Hitomi cut him down in "Bouncer" or beat his time in "ATV Off Road-Fury" he hollered and complained that Hitomi was cheating. Aunt Petunia would scold Hitomi for playing un-fairly, and Uncle Vernon would watch over them for the rest of the day, making sure Hitomi let Dudley win.  
  
"Yeah, and I don't leave bits of choclate and cotton candy on the controllers either." Harry chortled. Hitomi's expression became depressed.  
  
"Yeah, and thats one controller that I wont ever use again." she muttered. Harry remembered the incident very well, and the string of crussing that Hitomi unleashed on Dudley when she found herself unable to get any of the buttons to come up once she had pressed them.  
  
Harry leaned over and turned off the console, placing his and Hitomi's controllers on top of it. He instead turned his attention to the 200-something page book before him. It seemed not only had Hitomi got Harry hooked on Playstation, she had introduced him to the highly addictive form of Japanses comics, manga in other words. Right now he was working his way through a translated version of a Sorceress Hunters. He leaned back happily and opened it to his place. Surprizingly enough, the Dursley's were happy to have Hitomi and Harry keep each other company.   
  
"I guess it's because it keeps the both of us out of their hair I suppose." Hitomi suggested when Harry raised the subject not long ago. Whatever the reason, Harry was grateful, this summer had turned into one of the best summers with the Dursley's he'd ever had. Hitomi rolled over off the bed and sat on the floor, turning to her own manga, an untranslated Outlanders.  
  
Time went on in this fashion for almost half an hour until Hitomi asked him an unusual question.  
  
"Harry, can I trust you with something?"  
  
Harry pushed up his glasses and looked at her. He laid down Soceress Hunters and shuffled over closer to her.   
  
"Yeah, you can trust me Hitomi." Yeah, a shame you can't trust her.... a guilty voice rang in the back of his head. Fliching in guilt, he came closer to her. Hitomi looked at him hopefully.  
  
"Harry, what I'm about to show you, you can never tell the Dursely's....EVER."  
  
"Hey," he teased, "I'm not Dudley..I can keep a secret and not run to Uncle Vernon." he assured her. Hitomi gave him one long, searching look, before she reached under her bed, and heaved up a long black case Harry reconized as the one she was carrying the night she came. She placed it on the bed between them. Harry was a little baffled, what was so special about a muggle musical instrument? Hitomi gave him one last glance, as if she was still argueing with herself as if she wanted to go through with this. Steeling herself, she un-did the latches that held it closed, and opened it.  
  
Harry, upon laying eyes on the contents, went slackjaw. Inside, was a long, shining, and sharp sword. Hitomi lifted the blade out of the case and presented it before him.  
  
"This, Harry, is a gift my parents gave to me. This is one of the most advanced swords a fighter can carry. It's called Masamune." She gave a quick flick of her wrist and the sword, that was about two feet long, got suddenly longer, til the actual blade was six feet long.  
  
"Isn't it gorgeous!" Hitomi gushed, her eyes glowing bright with pride. She gave it a few experimental slashes before her, the sword singing shrilly as it cut the air. She gently caressed the black ivory handle and sighed.  
  
"Here Harry, you hold it." she offered it to him. Harry gulped and nodded. The only sword he had ever held was now in a glass display case in Professor Dumbledore's office, Godric Gryffindor's ruby-incrusted sword. The major difference between Godric's sword and the Masamune, Harry was soon to find, was weight. As Harry took Masamune in his hands, he felt himself being drawn off the bed.  
  
"Good grief Hitomi!! How much does this thing weight??" Harry cried as he dropped the sword to keep himself from falling on the floor. Hitomi took the sword, shortened it, and placed it on the floor.  
  
"Well, considering, the weight of the blade, then the handle..about fifty pounds."   
  
The look on Harry's face, in any manga, would have been coupled with a sweatdrop.Hitomi looked at him, and giggled.  
  
"Okay...maybe I should have thought of that...but thats not what I REALLY wanted to show you." She reached into the case, lifting out the black foam that the Masamune had sat in, revealing another compartment in the case.   
  
"THIS is what I wanted to show you..." Hitomi whispered. Harry looked down.  
  
"Whoa........Oh man." he whispered. Inside the case were two more swords, these were obviously a pair.  
  
"The Itasca Katanas....these swords have been in my family since Kami-sama knows when. First welded by my Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother in the Era of Warring States. They have an incredable legend behind them." Hitomi whispered, as if speaking normally would break the strange feel that the swords held over them.  
  
She nervously touched them, as if they were glass. With one hand, she gingerly lifted one out of the case. The one she held was cast in the image of a demon. Carved out of, surprizingly enough to Harry, a dark but transparent crystal. The demons wings, which seemed to take the place of her arms, furled outwards to create the handguard. The torso tapered down to make the handle and the pomel. The head, neck, and shoulders were the base of handle that connected it to the blade itself, which was yet again crystal.   
  
"The Demon Blade." She announced. Harry got as close to the weapon as he dared. Inspecting it over the rim of his glasses, he felt as if he wasn't the one doing the inspecting. As odd as it was, it felt like the sword was _feeling_ him, like it was judging him of his worth of even being in it's presence.   
  
"It feels like...it's watching me." Harry stammered. Hitomi carefully put it in it's place back by it's companion.  
  
"Don't feel bad Harry, everyone whose seen them has said the same thing, it's part of the legend. According to it, the swords have souls of their own." she assured him. She picked up the other sword and held it out for Harry to see.  
  
This one was in the visage of an angel. Like it's sister, it was carved in the same manner, the wings were the handleguard. The torso and legs the handle and pomel, and the bust the connection to the crystal blade. Instead of dark crystal, this one was made of pure silver, the eyes were black, were the demon's were white.  
  
"Their beautiful....." Harry said, agreeing to the statement that was forming in Hitomi's mouth.  
  
"Yeah......" she said. The trance, the feeling of awe that held them for the past few minuets, was broken by a familar sound coming from outside.  
  
"Dudley!!" Harry gasped. Hitomi acted quickly, putting the angel-sword back, then placed Masamune and it's foam casing over them. She shut the box, and shoved it under the bed, a second before Dudley waddled in.  
  
"Hullo!! It's my dear cousin and the foreigner girl.." He glared at Harry with the usual hate, but he reserved a special dispiteful look for Hitomi. Harry couldn't understand for the life of him why Dudley hated Hitomi so. Even with the guest in their house, Harry's aunt and uncle still cartered to Dudley's every whim, and they also held the same hate for Hitomi.   
  
Harry didn't have to be a genius like Hermione to figure out by what reason they hated her, they said it all the time, at the dinner table, in the living room, even in her presence. Foreigner....Crude....Uncivilized....Barberic....Damn Jap...Heathen. Every smug insult caused Hitomi's silver eyes to glaze over with fury. Harry couldn't help but notice the way her fists clenched together everytime, as if she was fighting the urge to rip them limb from limb. And everytime Harry was secretly cheering her on to do so.  
  
"Hey weirdo.." he adressed Harry, "Mum wants you in the kitchen, you got some dishes to wash.." Harry simply stood up, not even giving him fact that he even heard him. He walked out the room quietly, leaving Hitomi to fight her battle.  
  
  
  
Harry turned in his bed that night. Inside his head, he was having a feirce debate. Hitomi had trusted him with a great secret, if the Dursley's found about the swords, they would kick her out in an instant. What pained him though, that he couldn't return the act of trust and tell her his secrets. He would be thrilled to tell her about everything, about Hogwarts, him being a wizard, about Quidditch, his battles with Voldemort, all the misadventures he had been through, for once he would be able to confide in someone in this house.   
  
The logical side of his mind argued back what the consiquences would be. Hitomi might hate him, she would be replused, he would lose the only muggle friend he had ever had. Not only that, who knows what trouble he would be in with Fudge and the Ministry of Magic. Compounding that, the Dursleys would go crazy that someone else knew of their "family shame", and throw Hitomi out to keep her from telling everyone in the neighborhood. Sighing in frustration, he turned on his stomach and stuffed the pillow over his head.  
  
For some time, the questions kept going over and over inside his skull. One "what if" leading to another, that lead to another that brought him back to his original question. Harry swatted at his leg as some bug lit on it. What could he do? The consequences seemed to out-weigh the advantages big-time. He reached over and swatted again as the same bug landed. It would be great to finally be acepted by somebody in this house. .....Where was his flyswatter?? That bug was driving him crazy!!   
  
"Harry!! Wake up will you!"  
  
Harry bolted up-right. Looking around frightfully for someone in his room.  
  
"Finally woke up.....Harry over here!"  
  
Harry turned to his window, and floating there was Ron, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley. Harry blinked, once, twice, then bolted over to the window. Outside his window he saw they were standing on the back seat of a flying car.  
  
"Ron!! It's great to see you!" Harry cried in a hushed whisper. Ron grinned at him.  
  
"Having good time with the muggles I presume?" Fred joked.  
  
Harry looked over at him. "I guess it depends on which muggle your talking about."  
  
Mr. Weasley replied to his statement before his son could. "Ah, yes. Ron told about this Japanese muggle that's staying with you. How is she? Did she have any interesting muggle things with her?" he asked. Harry rolled his eyes, he really didn't want to start about Hitomi and her Playstation. Instead he opened up his window and let Fred, George and Ron in.   
  
"You know where my stuff is. Check around the desk and bed to be sure I didn't leave anything." He advised. "I'll start getting my trunk and Hedwig in the car." The twins nodded and began a sweep search of his room. Ron grabbed the other end of the trunk and began to lug to the window as Mr. Weasley raised the car higher to the seal.   
  
"Oi. Harry, whats this?" Fred asked. He held up the Sorceress Hunters maga that Hitomi had let him keep.  
  
"Something that Hitomi gave me." Harry explained. He didn't want to explain the concept of manga to the twins about as much as he didn't want to explain Playstation and games to their father. Fred nodded and tossed it in with the heap of spare parchment and quills they had found. A few minuets later they were loaded and secured, and waiting for Harry to wrestle an excited Hedwig into her cage. Once she was in, Harry handed her to George and placed his foot on the bumper and when to crawl int the back when a voice stopped him.  
  
"Harry, whats going on?"  
  
The heads of the five men turned to face a confused Hitomi, who was crouched on her window seal. In the darkness, Harry could see her bags on her shoulders, and the sword case in her hand, she was fully dressed.  
  
"Hitomi..um..I.."  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY BUGGING HELL!!!!" Harry almost fell on the ground as Uncle Vernon's voice shook the house. Hitomi looked behind her, in surprize, a look of frustration crossing her features.   
  
"Harry, hurry! Your uncle just got wise!" Ron cried, all thoughs at whispering gone now.  
  
"I bet that muggle told him!" Fred cried, pointing at Hitomi. George helped Harry up into the car. Once he was in, Harry called to Hitomi.  
  
"Hitomi, JUMP!!"  
  
"What?? Harry are you nuts!?" Ron asked.  
  
"Hitomi, don't ask, just jump!!" Harry urged her. From down below, he heard Uncle Vernon start up the steps.   
  
Mr. Weasley looked Harry oddly. "We can't take her with us Harry."  
  
"I'm not leaving her here with them! They hate her just as much as they hate me!" he argued back.  
  
"Harry, are you sure?" Hitomi asked. Her expression was desperate.  
  
"Yes!! Just jump, you can make it!" His voiced cracked as Uncle Vernon hit the second flight. Hitomi looked at him for a second, then at the car, judging the distance. She took the sword case, swung it one, two, three times, and flung it at the car. Harry, wisely, moved out of they way, but Fred wasn't as lucky, he cought the case full force in the chest as it pinned him down. Hitomi stood up slightly from her crouch, she tensed her muscles, and flung her body at the car. She landed half-way over the door, her legs dangling over the side. She breathed heavily, before she was dragged over the door with a scream.  
  
Harry moved to help her, as her knuckles were the only thing keeping her holding to the car. Looking over, he saw that Uncle Vernon was leaning out her window, and holding on tight to Hitomi's ankle. He looked up malicously at Harry.  
  
"Ha, not only did I catch the......I caught you trying to escape too huh?" he hissed in triumph. Of course, he used a very vicious term for Hitomi, one I won't put in print. Harry grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away, but Uncle Vernon was using his beefy bulk to keep her in his grasp. She kept jerking her leg, kicking him in the face with it.  
  
"Help me!" Harry screamed, but his plead wasn't heard, the other Weasley's were busy trying to liberate Fred from the sword case.   
  
"Harry, punch it!!" Hitomi yelled as her fingers slipped ever so slightly.  
  
"WHAT???" he yelled.  
  
"Move the car!! For Kami-sama's sake NOW!!!"  
  
"Someone move the car!!!" he yelled. Mr. Weasley, somehow, understood, and hit the gas hard. Everyone screamed as the sudden acceleration threw the Weasley boys back, once again pinning Fred under the swords. Harry almost fell out as Hitomi was dragged off, carrying out the window Uncle Vernon with her. Uncle Vernon wrapped both hands around Hitomi's right ankle, now afraid for his life.   
  
"Shimatta!!" she yelled as the added weight pulled her down further, and tiiting the car to the side. Mr. Weasley grabbed his door to keep him on the driver's side. The rest in the back seat slid and crashed into Harry. Reacting from their training, George and Fred, liberated by the slide, garbbed Hitomi's arm too, pulling as hard as they could. It seemed that for a few moments, that Uncle Vernon's weight was gonna drag them down. As luck would have it, Hitomi took the chaos to free herself.  
  
Bringing her captive leg up slightly, she brought her left one down hard, on what seemed to be Uncle Vernon's head. Seeing her do this, he moved his head, doing what Hitomi had been hoping he would do. Her foot missed his leg, and smashed down on his clavicle. (ie, his collarbone) A definate snap was heard, and Uncle Vernon's left hand dropped. With one last kick, she struck his hand against the underside of the car, The car righted itself, and Uncle Vernon dropped into a neighbors pool below. Harry and everyone else dragged a disheavled Hitomi up into the car. She plopped down on the seat, breathing deeply.  
  
SHe kept her eyes closed for several minuets. When her breath had regulated, she peered at Harry and the others, asking them to explain this.  
  
"Well, uh, the best thing I can say is that I'm a wizard..." Harry offered his feeble excuse. Fred rolled his eyes and George snickered. Ron offered his hand to Hitomi.  
  
"Hey, I'm Rom Weasley, thses are my brothers, Fred and George, don't mind them, and thats my father Mr. Weasley." He said, pointing to each respective person in turn. Hitomi, didn't take his hand, but she bowed low to him.  
  
"Arigato Ron-san. I owe you and your family my freedom." Ron sortta looked confused, he had never been bowed to before in his life. Fred and George, taking the opprotunity to make a joke, bowed low in their seats to her. Hitomi just smiled, then laughed.  
  
"Wha so funny?" Fred asked. Hitomi smiled a genuine smile.  
  
"You bowed lower than I did..."  
  
"What does that mean?" George asked.  
  
"It means you admit that I'm of a higher rank than you, pretty much that I'm better than you..." she trailed off. Harry and Ron looked at each other, then exploded into laughs.From the front seat Mr. Weasley grinned. Fred and George looked offended for a few seconds, then joined in with the laughter.  
  
  
Harry yawned and rolled out of his bed next to Ron's. Weaving around the messy heaps of books, clothes, and general stuff, Harry walked down to the kitchen, leaving Ron to snore away the afternoon by himself.  
  
Normally, Harry wouldn't even think about being up this early, especially after last night, but he wanted to see how Hitomi was reacting to the Burrow. She had gladly taken the lumpy couch last night, ignoring Mrs. Weasley's pleads to let her sleep in Percy's old room. But she had declined, laid down on the couch, and was out like a light before any more comments could be made.  
  
Harry ended his walk down the creaky stairs, and smelled the scent of breakfast coming from the kitchen. His stomach rumbled, reminding him of how long it was since he ate, sending him running for the table.  
  
Much to his surprize, he saw Mrs. Weasley sitting at the table, sipping a mug of steaming tea. In the kitchen, he saw Hitomi walking around, standing over the stove, tending to several pots and pans.   
  
"Hello Harry." Mrs. Weasley greeted him as he sat down at the table. He looked over her shoulder again, watching as Hitomi searched for something in the cabinets.  
  
"Weasley-sama, where is the rice?" she asked. Mrs. Weasley smiled a little at the suffix Hitomi had bestowed upon her.  
  
"The left cabinet dear." she called back. Hitomi open it up and searched.  
  
"Doko ni?" she asked again.  
  
"The second shelf.." Hitomi found the rice and set to cooking again.  
  
"Isn't she a dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "I come down this morning, looking to start breakfast, and Hitomi beat me there! She insisted on fixing breakfast this morning, saying she was thanking me for letting her stay...honestly, not even Charlie ever voluteered to fix breakfast for me.."   
  
Harry just shrugged. "Well, if your wondering, Hitomi is a great cook, and some of the dishes are odd, but they taste great." he volunteered. Behind he counter, Hitomi gave him a look that said, 'suck-up'. Harry stuck his tongue out at her. Some time later, the rest of the family crowded the table, Ron and the twins being the last. When they sat down, hitomi placed plates of seasoned rice, chicken stir-fry, egg-rolls, and different sauces on the table. Odd looks passed through the family, all to used to eggs, bacon, and sausage.  
  
"Okay, I know it's not the type of food your used to, but at least give Hitomi the respect to try some." Mrs. Weasley demanded. Mr. Weasely and the children, really wanting to avoid the wrath of their mother's temper dug in silently.   
  
"Wow, whats this stuff?" Fred asked, spearing something with his fork. Hitomi looked over, and took one of the same with her chopsticks.   
  
"It's called an egg-roll. It's a crust, made of flour and eggs, stuffed with meats and veggies, sometimes others things, and fried." she explained. The meal took a better turn after that, the rice was gone in a few minuets, and Fred hogged the entire plate of egg rolls. Mr. Weasley wondered at Hitomi's skill of eating rice with two small sticks, a feat he tried to copy, but never succeded. Once everyone was full, the table was cleared by hitomi, that insisted, that she do it. Mrs. Weasley asked her husband if he minded if they adopted another child, kiddingly of course. As Hitomi scrubbed away at the dishes by hand, the wizards gathered in the living romm, around the coffee table.  
  
"Dad," Ginny asked. "What are we gonna do about her? We can't have.." she lowered her voice, "muggles staying at the Burrow, what will Mr. Fudge say?" Mr. Weasley looked at his only daughter thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, I know she can't stay, and honsetly, I don't know what I can do. The only thing I can do is report this to Fudge, and let him make the decision." he sighed.  
  
"Darn, I just wish she was a witch. She could come to Hogwarts with us." Harry thought aloud. "I mean, she's been a great help to me back at the Dursley's, and I hate to think what will happen if it's decided to send her back there, they will kick her out for sure now."  
  
"Well, it's obvious that she was planning on running off anyway." Fred spoke up, rubbing his sore chest.  
  
"Harry, what did you say her name was?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Harry thought for a second.  
  
"Hitomi Versialles Kisaragi." he said. George raised a red eyebrow.  
  
"Versialles? She said she was Japanese, but Versailles is french." he pointed out.   
  
"Well, why not ask her? She's coming in right now." Fred warned. Everyone tensed as Hitomi walked in, rubbing her hands aginast her jeans. She folded her legs underneath her and sat on the floor, again refusing any offer of hospitality.  
  
"Hitomi dear," Mr. Weasley asked her. "Since you've met all of us, why don't you tell us about yourself?" Behind his glasses, Harry could see the gears working in his head. Hitomi looked up, a strange expression of sorrow clouding her eyes breifly, it faded as she gained control of her emotions and faced them.  
  
"Since I owe you my freedom, I owe you the truth in return." she started. "You wish to know about me, alright then. My name is Hitomi Versialles Kisagragi. My father, Habino Kisagragi, is one of the last members of an ancient Japanese samurai warrior clan. My mother, Marie Lourdes-Kisagragi, was a French-American business woman that came to Japan several years ago to cover a story on a local festival. That is where they met. They talked, enjoyed each others' company, and grew close to each other. When the time came for my mother to leave, my father begged her to stay with him in Japan, of course he said this with an engagement ring.  
  
My mother accepted, and they married not much later in a tradtional Japanese wedding. Of course both sides of the family raised a ruckus about it, but when they saw how happy my parents were, they dropped the matter. Well, life went happily along, til I was born." she stopped and gathered her thoughts for the next part.  
  
"My father was, well, dissapointed in me. It is considered a high honor for a War-lord's (for thats what my father really was) first child to be a male, a first-born female is considered shameful in some families. But the first time he held me, he forgot tradition. As according to customs in the family, first-borns are trained in the arts of war. I was instructed in hand-to-hand combat, as well as weaponry. My mother saw to it that I was tutored in history, math, various sciences, civics, geography, not to mention music and art. Of course being my father's daughter, I excelled in my battle training much more than the academics." she let a small grin adorn her face for a second.  
  
"I led a happy, and rather un-complicated life during my childhood. I knew nothing more of the world than my swords and the estate that my family lived on. But on my evelenth birthday, my world was shattered. Ottusan and Kaasan were on a trip in Tokyo concerning my mother's business. I remember when they left. Ottosan promised he would come back in time to help me un-wrap my gifts, but he never kept that promise. While they were in a meeting, an earthquake rocked the city. My parents were buried under 57 stories worth of rubble."  
  
Mrs. Weasley gasped in surprize. Ginny eyes became sad, and the twins and Ron raised their eyebrows in shock. Harry looked rather surprized himself, he never had a clue that Hitomi was an orphan like him. Hitomi let a few seconds pass, trying to fight the surging emotions that threatened to break through.  
  
"This left me in an interesting position. I was too young, by Japan's laws, to inheirt my father's estate and money, and French law says the same for the inheirtence I will receive from my mother. So that left me with little opinions, thats when it turned to my various aunts and uncles to plan my future. None of them was willing to take care of me over a long-term basis, so they devised a rather unconventional plan.  
  
They, amongst themselves, created a sort of timeline. On certain parts of certain years, I would spent a few months with an established relative. So, for the past four years, I have been bounced around from family member to family member, never staying for more than three months apeice, and I will continue to do so until I reach my sixteenth birthday, when I'm of legal age to claim my mother's estate. I will remain in France until I become eighteen, when I will return to my childhood home, and receive the rest of my alotted fortune."  
  
"But something came up this year. My aunt Marce was in an accident, leaving her unable to care for me. My uncle Shino has just gotten married, and will not be able to take me for sometime, this left me with over six months of nowhere to go. The family talked, no-one else was able to take me either, then someone got the idea of placing me in the British Foreign Exchange Studnet Program. Thats how I landed at the Dursleys." She let her voice trail off into restrained silence.  
  
Harry, never in his life, had ever felt such sympathy for one person. In some ways, Hitomi's loss of her parnets may have been harder on her, than his had been. He never knew them, so that left little memories for him to lament. Hitomi had loved her parents dearly, making her loss so much more painful. Mr. Weasley looked at her, as if deciding what to say next. He opened his mouth, then dicided against it.  
  
"Well, that was un....interesting." Fred offered. George snapped for him to shut up. No one else was able to say anything for a while. The silence grew so strong that Hitomi eventually decided she wasn't fond of the looks of pity she was receiving from her hosts. She had had enough pity given to her already. She was the daughter of a samurai for Kami-sama's sake!! She had her pride, and her honor to maintain. She got to her feet and walked out the room, into the Weasley's back lawn, never saying a word.  
  
  
  
  
AN: Tada!! Thats Chapter Two people, pretty long heh? I decided, before I go any further, to clear the air and answer some of the questions you guys posted in your reveiws:  
  
1) The hitomi in this story in NOT the Hitomi from Escalflowne.  
  
2) She will NOT fall in love with Harry, Ron, or Draco in this story, at all. Period.  
  
3) Someone mentioned that I left Bill out in the family photo. Well, yeah, I did goof on that. In fact, if you look hard, you might notice a few spaces between the period that ends the sentence and the names. That was were I was trying my hardest to remember his name, since I couldn't, I left a blank space there if I ever remembered it.   
  
4) There is more than one way to spell "bakka". It all depends on which dialect of Japanese your speaking, some have the extra k, some don't.  
  
Now, he's where I need your help. I already have some plans for Hitomi to have some altercations with Malfoy, hey, I couldn't place her in Hogwarts without that happening period. But I want to know, does anyone want to see her run into somebody else? Draco's dad, or maybe even Voldie himself? Tell me your opinions in the reviews.  
  
Any of you notice anymore mentioning of games or anime? Tell what you noticed in the reveiws too. Theres one BIG one in here, but you have to be familar with a certain genre to know what it is.  
  
Japanese Index:  
  
Ottusan: Formal title for father.  
  
Kaasan: Formal title for mother.  
  
Doko Ni: Where?  
  
Shimatta: Curse word, that all you need to know.  
  
Til Next Time: Ja Ne!!  
  
Arcadia Silver.  
  
Next Chapter: The Backfired Spell.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. The Backfired Spell

STRANGE NEW WORLD  
A Harry Potter fic brought to you by Arcadia Silver Productions.  
(a trademark of Third Floor Securites Ltm.)   
  
The final days of summer wound down quickly, and Harry found himself facing his fifth year at Hogwarts. About two days after He and Hitomi arrived, Hermione came in, dragging her trunk, and cursing all the way in. Harry thought it best that he didn't ask.  
  
Mr. Weasley had yet to receive a response to his letter from Fudge, something that made Harry somewhat curious. But as obvious as it was that Hitomi would be returned to the Dursley's, her memory most likely altered, he was glad that Hitomi came with him. Right now, he was zooming about on his Firebolt, weaving circles around the Weasley twins and Ron who were pushing their Cleansweeps Sevens as hard as they could to catch him. The noon sun rose higher into the gray sky, beating down on their necks and backs, causing sweat to foll down their faces. It wasn't until Hermione came into the clearing yelling for them to come down, that they realized that their necks were sunburned. (Imagine, getting a sunburn in England....)  
  
"What is it Hermione, you interupted a game!" Ron complained, while gently rubbing his red neck.  
  
"I just saw Hitomi......well, I think it's best that you see for yourselves." she said mysteriously. She instructed them to follow her out of the clearing, back to the house. They tromped throught the bushes and trees, brooms on their shoulders. Herm told them to stop, just short of the hedge that lead to the back yard. "Look." she pointed.  
  
The boys pushed past her to see just what she had seen that had been important enought to stop a Quidditch game. Ron parted the branches roughly. "WHOA!! What the ....??"  
  
Inside the yard Hitomi was swinging her Masamune around wildy. Or it seemed that way. She was standing, facing away from them, she was slashing the air before her with fast, practiced slashes. Masamune's blade was nothing more than a silver blur as she battled against an invisable enemy. The series of swipes was followed by a combo of percise kicks in the air, a high sweeping one, then three at different levels, followed by a spinning/jump kick that looked impressive.(for those of you you really wanna know: High roundhouse, cobra snaps at the ankle, waist and head, last being a butterfly.) She spun about, bringing the sword up in a guard, and began another battle with an invisable opponent, this time alternating between sword sweeps and kicks. Hard upward sweep upward with the sword, leading into a spinning back kick, finishing up with a backward jab with the point. From land to air, up, down, left, right, back and forth, she swung and kikec and jumped. She then quit fighting individuals, and started the make fancy passes and spins with the six-foot long blade. Harry wondered how she didn't chop her head off, when she spun it behind her back, switching hands. Hitomi finally stopped about thirty minuets later, burying the end of Masamune in the ground and sitting on the ground, panting and wiping sweat from her face.  
  
Mrs. Weasley then imerged from the house, carrying a glass of water and a sandwitch. "Dearie, that was impressive.What do you call that again?" she asked, passing the food to Hitomi.  
  
"Arigato. Their called katas. Their basically series of moves strung together, that simulate an actual battle between the swordsman and imagined opponents. Their used as practice mostly. What you saw was the sixth, seventh, eight, and ninth katas, all very advanced, they took me years to learn..." she explained, gulping the water and tearing into the sandwich.   
  
"My, you handle that sword so well." Mrs. Weasley complmented, an edge of concern and a bit of fear mixing in her voice. Hitomi, catching it, looked up at her.  
  
"Mrs. Weasley..please, you have no reason to fear me. I would never hurt you or your family, for all you've done for me." she whispered to her. Mrs. Weasley, looking abashed, folded her hands and looked at the ground.  
  
I'm sorry dear. It's just that your so young, about the same age as Ron. Whenever I look at you doing this, I keep seeing Ron out there, holding a sword, handling it like that, it's just distrubing to see someone as young as you, so skilled in things of war...." she trialed off.  
  
"Gomen nasi," Hitomi apologized. "It's just the way I was raised. My father's family has built it's legacy on battle, wars and fighting. I am the first-born child of a samurai, I'm expected to be proficent in this." She stood up, wrenching Masamune from the ground. "It is a blood-calling, I supose. Battle runs in my family like magic runs in yours, wouldn't you expect your children to know magic? I should think so, it's part of their blood. The same holds in my family for fighting. But if it distrubs you so much, I will not do it anymore." Hitomi walked into the house.  
  
From the hedge, George pulled out some little wrapped candies. "I guess I won't be rigging her supper with these tonight, you just don't put Carnary Creams in the roast of someone who can slice you up six different ways faster than you can blink."   
  
  
  
  
The next day began like the others, breakfast, via Mrs. Weasley (they were trying to get Hitomi accustomed to English fare) then the boys went to the clearing to play Quidditch, leaving the girls with the house to themselves. But that morning as the dishes scrubbed themselves in the sink, a knock came from the door. Mr. Weasley went to answer it, and came back with Cornelius Fudge behind him. Hitomi nodded towards him, knowing somehow that her time here was over.  
  
"Morning Molly, might I rob you of some of your leftovers?" he asked. Mrs. Weasley responded by piling him a plate with the left-over sauages and eggs and a few slices of toast. Fudge quickly downed the food, brushing his robes of the crumbs, and cleared his throat.  
  
"I think you know why I'm here. Aurthur sent me an owl a few days agao, and I was surprized to see that they had a muggle with them as a guest." He nodded to Hitomi when he said 'muggle'. Hitomi leered at him, she wasn't very fond of being described as a mere 'muggle'.  
  
"Of course, this can't be. The wizarding world must remain in secret from muggles, to assure our own saftey. I was informed of the circumstances of which the muggle came to be here, and nothing illegal was done on any witch or wizards part since the muggle forced herself into the car." Harry gawked at him. Hitomi's leer became a look of rage, and, as he guessed, her hands were clenched to fists under the table. Mr. Weasley himself went to correct Fudge, but was silenced by a hand.  
  
"We deemed it best, for the saftey of all magical parties involved, that the muggle have her memory altered, and returned to the former place of resistence." he concluded. Harry jumped to his feet.  
  
"You can't send her back to the Dursleys!! They hate her more than they do me, it would be comitting murder, they'll kick her on the street!" he argued. Fudge looked at him sadly.  
  
"Now Harry, I realize you have become attached to the muggle, but you know this is out of my hands. I will assure that the muggle..."  
  
WHAM!!! Hitomi's hand slammed down on the table, rattling the vase of flowers, and cutting off Fudge aburply. She stood up to her full height and leaned over the glare at the Minister.  
  
"I.........HAVE........A ........NAME!!! IT'S HITOMI!! MY NAME IS HITOMI!! IF YOU CAN'T CALL ME BY MY NAME, THEN DON'T ADDRESS ME PERIOD!!" she slammed her chair into place and stalked out. "I will be packing my things. It's obvious that this man wants this 'muggle' out of here as fast as possible...."  
  
The kitchen stood in silence for a few minuets. Fudge looked back at them, suddenly embaressed with himself. "I guess we will, um, wait for her to pack....." he studdered. It was plain to see that Fudge was a bit taken back by Hitomi's sudden outburst. Harry was willing to guess that Fudge was rarely argued with at the Ministry, he never expected to be yelled at like that, much less with a muggle.  
  
  
The family stood in the living room, all waiting for Hitomi to come down. Mrs. Weasley was dabbing at her eyes, and Ginny was sniffing quietly. Hermione looked cross and sad at the same time. The rest of them looked down-trodden. Fudge, recovered from his bout of embaressment, tapped his foot in annoyance. Hitomi came walking down the stairs, her bags on her shoulders, swords case in hand. She stood before Fudge, a mask of calm on her face.   
  
"Alright, lets get this over with." she sighed. Fudge just looked at her.  
  
"I will allow you to say good-bye." he muttered. "But don't take too long, I have an appointment shortly." Mrs. Weasley leaped forward and embraced Hitomi, crying on her shoulder. "Oh, I feel like I'm losing a daughter..." she wailed. Fred and George shook hands with er and Ron gave her pat on the back. Ginny and Hermione hugged her feircely, Mr. Weasley hugged her too. Finally she came to Harry.  
  
"Well, this is the end huh? Some ride it's been." Hitomi laughed dryly. Harry, gave a half-hearted grin, then hugged her. He couldn't describe it, he felt a brotherly companionship towards her, like she was the kind-hearted sister he had never had. Hitomi hugged him back, giving him a few words of assurance, wishing him luck at school and next summer with the Dursley's. She stood before Fudge.  
  
"Go already..." she sighed. Fudge looked at her abit sternly. He wasn't upset to lose her.   
  
"I will perform the spell, you will simply back out and wake back at the Dursley's, not remembering a thing." Mr. Weasley explained to her. Hitomi just nodded, inside, she was glad that Fudge wasn't doing it. She just didn't like him. She just gripped the case harder, and closer her eyes, head high as usual. Fred and George moved behind her to catch her when she colapsed. Mr. Weasley raised his wand and said the words. A flash of light erupted at hit Hitomi.  
  
Seconds later, Hitomi stood, and opened her eyes. One by one she looked at the others around her. "Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, you." she pointed to Fudge. "I still remember..."  
  
Fudge exploded at Mr. Weasley. "I told you to perform the spell!! If you won't do it, I will!" He bumped him aside, raised his wand again at Hiotmi and said the words. The same flash of light erupted at her, and again nothing happened. Fudge did it again, and nothing happened. The Minister went crazy, he kept firing spells at Hitomi till he was leaning aginst the stair-rail panting for breath.  
  
"I....**wheeze**...don't understand it....**wheeze**....why is she still.... **pant** ..standing??" he cried. Mr. Weasley carried him over to the couch, and conjured a glass of water for him. Fudge downed it in one gulp, and leered at Hitomi.   
  
"What type of muggle are you???? How did you block those spells??" he demanded, still not entirely calm. Hitomi shrugged, giving him a how-in-the-hell-am-I-supposed-to-know? look. Fudge looked at her crossly.  
  
"Answer me!! What did you do?" he bellowed. Harry flinched, Fudge's face was about the same color of Uncle Vernon's when he was mad, a deep purple. His eyes were dialated to pinpoints, and there was a throbbing vein at the base of his neck. Hitomi just leered at him. I gotta get her to teach me to do that.... some obsucre part of his brain chimmed. Behind them, Fred and George were seraching for the camera, probably to get a picture to mail to the Daily Prophet, or blackmail him.  
  
"Now Cornelius..." Mr. Weasley soothed, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. Fudge, threw it of and rounded on him.  
  
"You!!" he cried, even madder than ever. "You put some charm on her to protect her!! I know you did, you muggle-lover!" Ginny and Ron jaws dropped in shock, Fred and George, still looking for the camera, didn't hear, and Hermione's eyes went large. Hitomi just looked confused.  
  
"Now that was un-called for Cornelius!" Mrs. Weasley intervened, standing up for her husband. Not even looking at her, Fudge cried back.  
  
"Molly, stay out of this! You know it's true, the flying car, hundreds of muggle-items stowed away in his shed, he even has a plug collection! He'd rather break his wand and join those muggles than stuck up for wizarding kind!! He's practically a turn-coat!"  
  
"Lay off of him!" Ron retorted, making a dash for Fudge, he was held back by Ginny and Herm. Fudge was positively steaming at the ears.   
  
"See?" even his son is a muggle-lover, just like his father!" At that moment everything in the room erupted into an arguement. Voices and a few insults were tossed everywhere, and Harry was positive that someone was gonna pull their wands when suddenly....  
  
**FLASH!!** George and Fred's camera flashed in a puff of green smoke, getting a lovely picture of Fudge trying to strangle Mr. Weasley's neck.  
  
  
  
  
Fudge stormed out of the house, red with embaressment, and his vein still throbbing. When they were sure he was gone, the house rang with laughter. Fred and George danced in the middle of the room, holding the camera up like a throphy. They hurried up to fetch Pig to deliver the film to a developers not far away, bragging about owling it to Rita Skeeter to put in the paper.   
  
That night was dinner by Mrs. Weasley again, but this time she made her first attempt at a real Japanese meal, of course Hitomi coached her along. The table was set with forks, spoons, and chopsticks....... Hitomi was made guest of honor that night, she even stood up, much to amused chuckles, and made a speech about "over coming oppressors of justice and equality.." til the point that she couldn't talk for laughing at herself. The dishes were cleared and sent to wash themselves when Mr. Weasley asked for the attention of the room.  
  
"Okay, in veiw of todays..er...events, it is obvious that Hitomi will be staying for a while longer. In the light of school beginning in a few days, we need to decide what will be done. Now I've owled Dumbledore and informed him of the situation. He was kind enough to give a speedy reply.." he pulled out a scroll of parchment and read:  
  
Aurthur,  
  
I have been informed of the situation by Fudge, and although he claims that the backfire of the spell was resultant of your want to protect your guest, I have reason to beleive other wise. I beleive, than in the best interest of young Hitomi, she be sent to Hogwarts this year, where I , as well as the other members of the staff, can examine her and perhapse diverge the reasons behind this afternoon's events. I will expect to see Miss Hitomi at Hogsmeade Station on September 1st.   
  
Sincerly.  
  
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster.   
  
  
The children cheered, and Mr and Mrs. Weasley smiled. Hitomi just looked around at them, really not sure of what she heard. "So this means what?" she asked. Fred reached over and clapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Congradualtions Hitomi! Your coming to Hogwarts with us!" 


	4. Getting To Hogwarts Is Just Half The Pro...

STRANGE NEW WORLD  
AHarry Potter/Arcadia Silver fic. Made by Arcadia Silver productions.  
A trademark of Thrid Floor Securitites Inc.   
  
Harry looked out as the Hogwarts Express pulled down the track towards Hogsmeade. Around him Ron and Hermione talked and chatting. Fred and Geogre were in the back of the compartment with Ginny playing a rather odd game of "Save the Princess". Fred was the princess. Ron ended his talk with Herm and turned the conversation to Quidditch with Harry. Hermione had Crookshanks on her lap, who was purring softly as he cat-napped. Ginny yelled happily as she 'vanquished George to the other side of the compartment. Fred jumped up happily and procedded to thank his "knight in shining armor". Ginny squealed as she received a sloppy kiss from her brother.   
  
"Hey Harry. Hows Hitomi getting to Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked when Fred pulled off of her. Harry looked back at her and sighed.  
  
"I guess your dad is gonna take her to Hogsmeade with Floo powder. I don't know of any other way. She couldn't have gotten past the 9 3/4 barrier, thats why she's not here." Harry explained. Although in the back of his mind he had a hunch if she had withstood Fudge's memory charm spell, she could have gotten past the barrier.   
  
George stood up from arm-wrestling with Fred. "This will be her..second time using Floo powder?" he asked. Hermione nodded in confirmation.  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "Once in Diagon Alley, second time getting to Hogsmeade." She let a small smile cross her lips. "I hope this itme she gets better off this time than at Diagon Alley.."  
  
~*~*~*~* Earlier that week~*~*~*  
  
So where are we going again?" Hitomi asked at the Weasely family and Hermione gather around the fire place.  
  
"Diagon Alley dear." Mrs. Weasley explained. "It's a wizard place. We need to get the childrens' school supplies." Hitomi just nodded her head.  
  
"Ever heard of Floo powder?" Ron asked.  
  
"Umm..no. Can't say I have." she said. She eyed warily as Mr. Weasley took a pinch of the green powder from out of the flour container. He tossed in the fire and green flames spurted up. The twins, Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny went first.  
  
"Hitomi, just close your eyes, keep your elbows close to you and speak your destination clearly." Harry coached her. Hitomi nodded as Ron went into the flames, followed by his father. Harry stepped forward and spoke "Diagon Alley!!" and dived in. Hermione looked at her.  
  
"Go ahead, I'll go last." she invited. Hitomi smiled, walked to the fire and stared at the green fire a few moments. She summoned her courage and cried "Diagon Alley" as the rest had and jumped in. Hermione quickly followed.  
  
Hermione looked around as she came into Diagon Alley, in all it's hustle and bustle. She spotted a congregation of red heads and ran over to the Weasley family.  
  
"Hey..where'd Hitomi go?" she asked. Mrs. Weasley looked at her.  
  
"You mean she's not with you?"  
  
"No.. She went in the fire before me."  
  
"I haven't seen her."   
  
"Neither have I." A silence over took the group. For amoment they shared one mind, for they spoke the same phrase at the exact same time.  
  
"Uh-oh.." they split up instantly. The twins took the robe store and the wand-shop. Harry and Ron Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ginny and Hermione when though the Ice Caream Parlor and anything else inbetween. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley searched Gringott's. Ron and Harry looked through the aisles and shelves of QQQ when some older kids, probably graduated, ran past them shouting: "Fight, Fight!! A fight in the Leaky Cauldron!!! Come on!"  
  
Harry looked at Ron. "Should we investigate?" Ron grinned.  
  
"What? And miss out on a good brawl?? Never!" he took off and Harry followed. On the streets, the came across the twins and the girls. Fred and George hollered at them.  
  
"Hear the news? Big brawl at the pub! Were going to check it out." Hermione leaned over a little and whispered in Harry's ear.  
  
"And were coming to be sure they don't get themselves killed..." Harry laughed at little and fell in behind Ginny as they followed the crowd to the Leaky Cauldron. The pushed through the throng and got in the door in time to see Tom, the barkeep go flying across the tavern. In the center of the place, a large dogpile of withering, crussing, and tangled bodies were heaped on each other. Fed and George pushed to get themselves involved but were held back by the strong hands of their mother.   
  
Harry looked over and felt instantly sorry for the twins. They were gonna get it when things calmed down. Mr. Weasley got through the crowd and raised his wand, but only to have it knocked out as colored lights began to criss cross the room. Curses and hexes flew everywhere and almost everyone two feet from the walls got hit. Boils, warts, and frogs' heads appeared over people and the chaos escallated. A sudden bang rocked the room, Mr. Weasley had found his wand.  
  
"NOW!! IF YOU ARE ALL FINSIHED PROVING THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF HAVING THE INTELLIGENCE OF ANTS..CALM DOWN!! I'M A MINISTER!!" Silence over took everything and people started to drop and fall apart. Mr. Weasley stepped into the middle of the room and gave a death-glare to anyone within eye-sight.   
  
"Now..what started this??..Come on..which uncivilized heathen started this?" he demanded. Mr. Weasley at this point, was turning a lovely shade of violet in his face. People looked around fearfully...trying to spot the cause of the brawl before Mr. Weasley completely lost his usual calm and cool demeanor. One by one, fingers were lifted and and pointed to the back of the room, where a slightly amused, and un-hurt Hitomi stood looking around confused.   
  
"What?? Why are all of you pointing at me?"  
  
  
~*~*~*~* Ten Minuets Earlier That Day~*~*~*~  
  
Hitomi ducked her head in and rolled as she meet hard, stone floor. The smell of soot and fire clung to her senses as she stood to straighten herself from her un-gracefull position on the floor. All around people looked at her strangely, but turned away quickly as if someone falling out form a lit fireplace was a common occurance. Hitomi brushed the ashes from the hearth from her clothes and sat about to find her party.  
  
"Hey there..what do we have 'ere? I pretty young thing like you lost?" Hitomi flinched as she turned to face a table. At said table sat three men. All over were empty bottles and the unmistakable scent of liquor drifted from them. Hitomi choose to ignore them and turned away. No time to waste on drunken idiots. She kept going, until she felt a hairy, large arm encirlce her.  
  
"Hey..why so silent. Are you the shy type?" Hitomi almost gagged at the stench of alcohol and cigarettes that wafted around him. He was drunk alright. He stagger even as he stood, like the floor was pitching under him. His hair was tangled and in disarray, like a brush or comb hadn't seen it in years. Neither, had a toothbrush by the yellowed color of what few teeth he had. Hitomi slipped under his arm and turned the other way.  
  
"Oh-ho!! Marc, I don't think she likes you!" cried one of his friends from the table. "Marc" simply smiled and walked after her, grabbing her roughly by the middle and pulling her close.   
  
"Nah Jon..I think she's just shy around a great looking man like myself..can't blame her.." Marc grinned as Jon howled with laughter at the table. Hitomi writhered in his grasp, trying to get free.   
  
"Marc..put the lass down. You have too much Butterbeer in you." said the thrid friend at the table, and seemingly the only half-sober one of the bunch. A whienzed old man with very few teeth came tottling up behind them.  
  
"Now Marc, if you don't put the gel down, I'll have to kick ya out again." he instructed. Marc frowned.  
  
"Ahh Tom, can't I keep this one?" he asked, sounding like a boy begging to keep the dog that followed him home. Tom shook his head.  
  
"No..now put her down." he said again, more firmly this time. But this time, they had caught the attention of the other patrons, who were looking on in mild interest. Marc sneered at Tom.  
  
"Buzz off old man. Ya can't throw a paying customer out can ya?" he grinned smartly as he weaved on his feet. "Can't a man treat a lady nowadays?" he leered and placed his hand on a spot that Hitomi DID NOT LIKE. In disgust and rage, she drew back her hand, balled her fist, and brought it across hard on his jaw. Marc, for a moment looked unaffected, but dropped Hitomi and fell the the ground cluthing his either cracked or bruised jaw.  
  
Jon instantly was on his feet and charging for Hitomi. In his drunken state, it was easy to side-step him and send him flying into a table occupiyed by two elderly witches chatting over a coffee. In shock, they fell back, causing the coffee to spill. They stood up furious. First they laid eyes on the passed-out Jon on the reamins of their table, then at Marc, now getting up fron the floor, then finally Hitomi who had turned to face Marc again, dropping into a fighting stance, ready for another round.They looked at eacho ther, nodded and drew their wands and fired off a curse at Marc.   
  
In the instants that followed, chairs were over turned, bottles went to the floor and spilled their contents over the ground, making for a slippery footing. Tables were upset, and poeple broke out into a riot. Hitomi, using the chaos to her advantage, slipped past several fighting pairs and into a corner that allowed her full veiw of the figth, and her back covered. She took a sip of Butterbeer from an un-attented glass and proceded to enjoy the battle.  
  
~*~*~*~* Present Time*~*~*~  
  
Ron guffawed loudly. "I never though Dad would ever return to his normal color. Mom was going to spend the rest of her life with a prune!!" Harry and the rest laughed amusedly at this thought.  
  
"Hitomi was lucky that so many people saw what happended. Dad looked ready to kill, and the Marc guy had to be knocked out to keep him from attacking her again." Fred reminded. Ginny snorted.  
  
"I don't blame her." Hermione nodded in agreement. "There are some places you DON'T touch a woman without her premission. Do it and your gonna be in a world of pain." Ron just shrugged a little and went to his conversation with Harry and the compartment when to it's regualr constrained chaos. Hours later, the lady with the cart came by and they loaded up on sweets. They changed into their school robes and waited for the train to pull into Hogsmeade.   
  
  
Kids poured from the carts as the train came to a full stop at the station. Harry and his other friends stepped from their car and streched cramped muscels. Trunks were hauled down and Neville went after Trevor again as the frog made a brave leap from under his hat. At the end of the platform a large, tall shadow stepped out and greeted them.  
  
"Hagrid!!: Harry greeted the giant half-breed. Hagrid stepped through the crowd and greeted them with a customary hug.   
  
"How ya doing?? Been a long summer since I saw yous last.Why Harry, your another inch taller!" Harry grinned and shook his hand. His summer hadn't been as long as it had been strange, but still, Hogwarts castle was a sweet sight. Hagrid ruffles his hair and sighed.   
  
"Well, I have my duties to attend to. FIRST YEARS OVER TO ME!!!" he bellowed over the crowd. Everyone shuddered at the sudden noise and backed off as young, and nervous first years seperated themselves from the crowd and over to Hagrid. They watched as he strolled off and proceded to find Hitomi.  
  
The first of the familar faces they saw was Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were talking with the Quidditch comentator Lee Jordan. Fred and George dragged Lee off and the rest greeted Dean and Seamus, they grouped together and went to the horseless carriages that would take them to Hogwarts.  
  
"So Harry, I heard you brought a muggle to school with you." Dean inquired as they walked. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turnned to him shock.  
  
"How did you know that?" Ron cried. Deam looked a little smug and grinned.   
  
"It's not hard when your family works at the Ministry, and one day Cornelius Fuge stroms in crussing the name of a certain muggle girl all the way in. Then later that day, Dumbledore sends an owl concerning a muggle girl of the exact name. Not hard to figure out really." Harry just sort of looked upset.  
  
"How else knows?"   
  
"Well, it's been a big rumor in the Ministry, so everyone with a parent or family member working there most likely knows. And I'm willing to bet Draco Malfoy knows too." Hermione looked up at this.  
  
"Yes, thats strange..we never saw Draco or his goons on the train. Why didn't he come to harass us? He always does." she pointed out. Ron started to suggest that Draco had finally noticed that Harry was much better than him and he would never win when Seamus asked.   
  
"This muggle girl, does she have red-ish hair and gray eyes? And really good looking too? If so, she's over there." They followed the direction that Seamus pointed and saw Hitomi standing at one of the carriages, casually chatting with Professor McGonagall. Harry brought his hand up and hollered.  
  
"Oi, Hitomi-kun!! Over here!" Ron looked at him oddly at his use of the Japanese suffix for friend. He just smiled as Hitomi bowed politely to McGonagall and ran over to them.   
  
"Harry-san, Ron-san, Hermione-sana. It took you long enough. Where have you been?" she asked. Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. Hermione asked her.  
  
"Hitomi, how long have you been waiting for us?"   
  
Oh, since about 3:00." she said. Dean's jaw dropped.  
  
"Thats over 5 hours!!" he cried. Hitomi nodded.  
  
"Yes. Your Ottusan brought me early so I caould have some time be breifed by the teachers. They all seem very nice, with the exception of that man over there." She pointed over to the hunched form of Snape as he ordered students into carriages. "He seemed very upset by me being here." she replied. Ron, in consolation, clasped her shoulder.  
  
"Don't be upset Hitomi. Snape doesn't like anyone except his own students. and thats not saying much." Dean and Seamus laughed as they walked over to the last of the waiting carriages that would take them to the castle.  
  
  
  
Ron fidgeted in his seat. The first years has lined up in a row and were being Sorted. McGonagall scrolled down the parchment quickly.  
  
" Thames, Brian."  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!!" the Sorting Hat yelled out.  
  
"Versa. Louisa."  
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
"Wayne, John."  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!!" McGonagall rolled the parchment up and took her seat, but left the Sorting Hat on it's stool. Professor Dumbledore walked to the poduim and cleared his throat.   
  
"Greetings students, and welcome to the new year of Hogwatrs Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I, and the staff, welcome you." applause went thorugh the crowds. He cleared this throat again. "I would like to wecome especially two people. One our Defense Against The Dark Arts professor. Welcome Professor Mikotona, who was kind enough to come to us from Ha'na Instituion." Hitomi's eyebrows shot up as a well groomed man in black robes stood and bowed to Dumbledore respectfully and sat down.   
  
"Secondly, a guest, who will be staying with us for an undisclosed amount of time this year. Miss Hitomi Kisaragi." the group of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean, Thomas and the rest of the Weasley family cheered happily as Hitomi stood and walked up to the stage. She bowed deeply to Dumbedore, who gave her a small bow in return.   
  
"Now, as Mrs. Kisaragi is new to us, she will be Sorted into a house." He nodded and Hitomi walked over to the Sorting Hat, sat down and placed on her head.  
  
  
  
(Hello there...who do we have here? I thought the Sorting was done.) the voice of the Hat resounded in her mind.  
  
(Oh..I'm Hitomi Kisaragi. I'm a ...visitor.)  
  
(Your also a muggle too huh?)  
  
(Um...) she felt embaressed. She was being interogated by a hat!! And one that talked at that!  
  
(Don't worry child. I was kidding. I know of the situation...so..your being put into a house...lets see..)  
  
  
(Um...may I ask a question?)  
  
(Wha? Very few ask ME questions..well..go ahead.)  
  
(Why am I here?)  
  
(You know why...)  
  
(No, no I don't. Why wasn't I just sent back. I said I wouldn't tell anyone. Why go to such lenghts for a muggle girl?)  
  
(Just trust the decisions of others child. You have a reason for being here...Now as for a house.) The hat looked thorugh her mind quietly for a few seconds.  
  
(Ha!! you brought your swords?!?! Hidden in your case. Brillant, disgusing them as intrusments..) it said. Hitomi flinched.  
  
(Uh..how did you know that?)  
  
(Well, it's all in your mind, right here. So you brough them so you could practice? Much ambition for a girl. Especially in the arts of War...you'd be well in Slytherin...)  
  
(No!! I don't want to go there! I don't like those people!)  
  
(okay..Hmm...my...you practice quiet regularly..Hufflepuff quality. But you have a good wit about you..AHAH!! thats a funny one!!)  
  
(Are you poking around in places you shouldn't?)  
  
(Oh..no...umm...well...brave heart..and unmoveable...)  
  
(Thats putting it nicely. I like the term: Stubborn Mule...it's what I hear the most..)  
  
(Well, thats not very lady-like..)  
  
(You know? you talk like me father..) At that remark, the Hat launched itself off her head and to the floor. The crowd looked on wondering as Hitomi picked it up and placed it on her head again.  
  
(You okay?)  
  
(Yes..sorry..that just took me by surprize...never been told that in all my thousand year life.)  
  
(Sorry..)  
  
(Thats fine..but really..what to do with you? Your one of the few I've even seen fit for all the houses. I guess I have to look a little deeper.) She felt as the hat looked around a little deeper in her mind..reaching into places that were buried in her past and sub-conscious mind. It touched a part of her mind and a vison flash in her mind. Her father, her mother..and..and...and..the Itascas'??  
  
(WHAT?!?!..Can't be...how??...)  
  
(whatwhatwhatwhat????? Whats wrong?)  
  
(My goodness...I never would have guessed, you can't tell by just looking at her....and...my...)  
  
(WHAT?!?!)  
  
(Eh?..OH!! sorry..well..I umm...I guess it's up to you child...)  
  
(Easy..I want to be in Gryffindor with my friends.)  
  
(okay then..very well..)...GRYFFINDOR!!!  
  
The group cheered and several people from other tables sighed. For the time that Hitomi had been up there..they had decided that she was very pretty...and some wanted her in their house. Muggle or no..she was pretty.."Nice legs".as a Ravenclaw had said.  
  
  
(Hey..before I leave..you said about there being others you fitted into all the houses? Anyone I know?)  
  
(Lets see..yes..one a few years ago..a gilr but the name Granger, Hermione.)  
  
(Herm??)  
  
(Yes..very difficult to place her..Strong, loyal, hard worker, and very ambitious in her studies..I saw all of that in her head..I eventually left it up to her to decide, she choose Gryffindor.)  
  
(But why?)  
  
(Simple. For a smart girl she choose a foolish reason. Simply put, she had a crush on a guy...Harry Potter to be exact.) Hitomi nearly fell off the stool in shock.  
  
(A crush on Harry-san? Oh my..she hides it soo well..)  
  
(I guessed so..but anyway, I've said too much..I think you need to put me down.) Hitomi nodded, and took the hat off her head. She placed it on the stool and walked down the stairs and sat beside her friends again.  
  
Supper went as usual, Hitomi didn't eat much though..not much English fare that her Japanese stomach could handle. She just poked around at her food and listened to the conversation around her. At least they had some rice....  
  
"Uh-oh..hate to spoil the fun, but we got Slytherin geeks coming in at 12 o' clock straight." Ron warned. Hitomi looked up to see a boy of her age with light blonde, a pale complexion, and gray eyes not unlike her own.  
  
"Draco..." Harry sneered. Hitomi got a unsettling in her stomach. She studied the two boys walking behind Draco. Both were huge and monsterously tall. Not at all attractive, and they seemed to lack any look of intelligence in those beedy eyes that were hidden by massive brows. They hung behind Draco like hitmen in a mobster movie. Draco walked to the table and stopped. The ones behind him stopped as well.  
  
"Ah, Potter. I didn't think you had the courage to show your face at this school, especially after last year.." Hitomi noticed that Ron rose in his seat a little and Hermione shot Draco a look of the upmost hatred and compempt. Harry's green eyes flickered in guilt for a moment before they came back to their intense and judgemental scowl.  
  
"...and the rest of the "Dream Team". Weasel, are you going to wear those cut off, scrabby robes to the Yule Ball again? I mean, couldn't your mother just sewn you something better out of some old dish rags?" Ron rose in his seat in an attempt to reach for Draco's throat. Hermione and Ginny reached and pulled him down. Hermione looked at him again with that same scathing glare.  
  
Draco grinned in a cocky manner. "And the Mudblood came back too? Surprize, surprize.. You were lucky that you found Rita Skeeter out..you might not have lived to come back to school if she would have keep publishing those stories in the Daily Prophet. Imagine all the girls lined up at your door, waiting to take a swipe at you because you broke the heart of Harry Potter..." Hermione itched for her wand in her robe pocket. Draco, obviously happy that he the ability to rile them so well. Harry, despite his friends reactions, stayed calm, just staring holes through Draco.   
  
"Oh Potter, is it true that your friend here is a Muggle??" He spoke the last few lines loud enough for the whole Great Hall to hear and turn to watch. Hitomi felt the uneasy feeling in her stomach turn to full-out flip-flops. Draco leered at her. "Yes..my father heard the news. A Muggle was coming to Hogwarts to be examined...she blocked Cornelius Fudge's memroy blocking spell it's said. They couldn't knock you out and alter your memory." Hitomi just looked back down at her rice and continued eating.  
  
"Oh, please allow me to introduce myself, I'm Draco Malfoy. These are my frineds Crabbe and Goyle..we're WIZARDS.." he imphazied the last word, hoping to provoke everyone at the Gryffindor table even further. At the end of the table, Fred and George rolled their sleeves up as did Dean and Seamus. Hitomi looked up at him, and rose out of her chair, to her full height.  
  
"Yes, I'm a muggle, and this is your business how though? Your not a teacher, not a member of the Ministry, nor an adult. Your just a student. I, however, am a guest, and I beleive that the honorable members of the falcutly will not appreciate such hostility towards a guest. Go back to your table BOY, keep you nose out of things that don't concern you BOY, your not welcome here with decent people. " she concluded. Her eyes were narrowed to slits, her face stony and set. Some how, despite the fact that Draco would have easily blasted her into the wall, she exuded a sense of danger. Draco looked at her, cold gray to a burning silver. He dropped his gaze and turned and left, Crabbe and Goyle following.   
  
The feast passed quickly, and the houses split and went their seperate ways. However, Hitomi was dragged to the side by Professor McGonagall. The Transfiguration teacher brought her to her classroom, where Professor Dumbledore and some of the other professors waited for them. Hitomi was instructed to take a seat.  
  
"Now Miss Kisagragi, we have discussed exactly what is expected of you. You are to act like a normal maigcal child and pass yourself along as a guest." McGonagall explained. "But thanks to the transaction between you and Draco Malfoy, that idea is inuseable."  
  
"All due respect McGonagall-sama, Draco made it clear that he knew that I was Muggle before our "transcation". Not to mention that another student informed me that my arrival at Hogwarts has been the subject of controversy inside the Ministry. I truly beleive that very few students did NOT know that I was a muggle." Hitomi defended herself.   
  
McGonagall pressed her lips into one of the thinnest lines Hitomi had ever seen. She went to argue back but Dumbledore interfered. "Minerva, Hiotmi had a point. I feared that the story would be widely know in the Ministry by the time she arrived, and only a matter of time before someone let it slip. Perhapse this is a blessing disguise, we can avoid a lot of trouble if we don't have to worry about keeping a front around the students." McGonagall just sighed in defeat and sat down.  
  
"Dumbledore-sama.." Hitomi began. Dumbledore turned to her and nodded. "What if I am attacked?? I'm no fool, Draco Malfoy can't be the only one in this school that had a hatred towards muggles. I have no way of defending myself except for my swords...." Hitomi stopped quickly as she realized she had just said the wrond thing. Snape's head popped up and Professor Sprout looked surprized.   
  
"Swords?" Snape asked. "you have swords with you?" Hitomi, rasied by the Bushido, wouldn't allow her honor to suffer so much as to openly lie before them.  
  
"Yes..I have swords...I am trained in the arts of war..my specialty is the Masamune and katanas."   
  
"You mean you have weapons inside the dorms?" Sprout asked.  
  
"Yes.."  
  
"Miss Kisagragi, it is dangerous for you and for others to have weapons inside the school, such things are strickly forbidden!!" McGonagall shreiked. Hitomi looked past her at the glass display of Godric Gryffindor's ruby-hilted sword with a raised eyebrow. McGonagall followed her gaze and stopped.   
  
"That sword is a historic artifact.." she snapped. Hitomi looked at her with a look that matched hers equally.   
  
"And the art of sword-play, as well as the swords themselves have a combined age of 13,000 years! The katanas were carried by my ancestor!! They are well over 2000 years older than that thing!" she pointed. McGonagall stood again and would have said something else, but Dumblerdore spoke up again.  
  
"I think we better see the swords before we pass judgement Minerva..." McGanagall looked at Dumbledore's calm and placid face and just sat down again, her usual strict bun was coming undone. Everyone sat in silence before the door opened and a small creature, dressed in a tea towel, came in dragging the case Hitomi had hid her swords in. Hitomi relived the house-elf of the case and he exited quickly. Hitomi dragged the case up on Dumbledore's desk and sighed. What had she gotten herslef into? 


End file.
